Insert Witty Title Here
by Jimmy the Gothic Egg
Summary: AU. Chapter Two: mystery, mindgames, and misunderstandings.
1. Chapter One

I don't know how I thought this up, but it just kinda came to me. So, bear with me on this.

_Who needs titles anyway?_

**Chapter One- **_In which some get some sleep, and some don't._

Cold winter win soaked through her oversized shirt. Street clothes: grey sweater and black jeans; easy to blend into a crowd with. Intense red hair snaked over her green eyes and she brushed it past. Concentrate. Focus. The target was in sight…

The target.

By doing this, she could start a war. By doing this, the man might be dead, but his followers would flourish.

A hesitant sigh.

She couldn't think about that.

A breath.

Don't think. That's not your job.

Aim carefully. That's what you do. That's all you need to do.

She knelt down, ignoring the cold. She needed to numb herself anyway. No feeling, no emotion, just aim and shoot.

The latter the easiest thing.

This job did have its perks.

Aim…

She rested the weapon on her knee, hooking her finger over the trigger.

Aim…

A pause.

Fire…

* * *

A sigh.

The man beyond the balcony, preaching to the converted. They gathered around him, their eyes raised hopefully for good news, for _the_ good news. What better news than that from the prophet's mouth.

No one knew the man was really insane.

No _insane_-insane. Just enough to make him start his own religion, spread it across the countryside, and grow a following so large he could start an army.

Another sigh.

It wasn't his fault he was classified follower. He was the 'sheep.' Bah. He wasn't anything.

A shrug. Who needed this? He could just get up and leave. He had clothes on beneath his religious garb. Who needed this crap? He didn't believe a word of it.

He stood, quickly glancing around. Just a shrug of the shoulders and his outfit would fall off, revealing the black shirt and jeans. Not too hard to rustle his hair a bit so it didn't seem like he was too neat and proper. No one in the crowd would notice him, and the preacher would be caught up in his sermon.

Easy enough.

He quickly headed downstairs, breathing a sigh of relief as the cold night air brushed against him. Ah, yes, this was better than sitting in some stuffy old hallway waiting for the preacher to finish. Why was he even there?

A better question: what did these people see in these sermons?

He paused to listen. It all sounded like a load of crap to him. Damn, this stuff was pure bull; things never ended happily, so why should one expect them to?

He continued on, pushing through the thick crowd. People stepped aside in his wake then pushed closer as he passed, wanting to hear the seductive words streaming from the preacher's mouth.

A bunch of sheep.

He wasn't anyone's sheep.

He glanced up at the sky, past the buildings in front of him… He squinted. There was someone on top of one of the buildings, probably a follower who didn't want to be in the crowd…

The person seemed to be carrying something, aiming it at the preacher.

Someone screamed.

Things happened too fast for him to be sure…

The figure withdrew itself; he turned to see the body of the past preacher slump back, a smirk still sitting on his wrinkled face; the crowd began to churn, pushing and pressing together; he was pushed out, slammed onto the sidewalk; he looked back up; the figure was gone…

Somebody stepped on him as he sat on the sidewalk and scrambled back, wanting to get away from the angry crowd. They demanded blood, compensation for whoever had just murdered their famed priest!

He sighed; he really just wanted to get out of this alive.

* * *

"What's that?"

A young boy (girlish looking though), his blond hair tied back in a bun. He pointed to the crowd only a few feet off, no longer a crowd but a mob. Chaos had broken out: people were fighting, some were climbing up the walls of the great building before them, white and gold shaded in moonlight.

His companion, the tall elegant man stretched an arm over the boy, pulling him closer. His eyes were sharp, intense, as he stared at the crowd with distaste.

"That would be humanity at its best."

The boy looked up at him, slightly confused. He was not a sharp lad, but sharp enough to see the angry crowd was not something he wanted to go strolling into.

"Should we continue?"

"I think that would be best, Master Raenef."

A smile from the young boy. If anyone had been paying attention, they would've thought it strange for the taller gentleman to be referring to the young one with such a title as 'master.' Still, most of the crowd was crumpling within itself; church members were trying to keep the violence down with little luck.

"Come along."

* * *

She ran down the stairs. Her job had been finished. She needed to get back. In movies they always jumped across buildings or disappeared into the void of the night, but in real life, the safest way to go out was through the front door, especially with all the chaos downstairs. If policemen were coming, their first priority would be to quell the rising violence, giving her ample time to merge with the crowd and head off in any direction she wanted. No one would suspect her; a young girl killing one of the most powerful men in the country? Preposterous.

She flung open the double doors of the building, noting the chaos around her, and ran right into a person.

Her training was starting to fail her.

She tripped over him, stumbling forward and being pushed back by the crowd. For a moment it was like a game of ping pong, but it ended when she landed on her backside on the hard concrete.

Except she hadn't landed on concrete…

No, this was softer…

More like a person…

She turned quickly, scrambling back (but still a safe distance from the crowd.)

Ice blue met warm green…

Held for a beat…

A moment…

Two…

Someone else screamed, and both sets of eyes turned to the crowd. She scrambled up, turning quickly. She had to leave now and…

Those eyes again…

"You…" the boy was speaking.

She didn't have time for this!

"It was you…"

She started. No! This could not be happening _now_!

Police cars could be seen in the distance. She turned on her heels, gazing everywhere… Where could she hide...?

There!

She turned back to the boy. She had no choice but to take him with her…

She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him along, running, running, running, always running, and dove behind a nearby house. The houses were arranged in rows, no spaces between them. On one side was street, the other…

She realized her mistake too soon as she teetered over the edge. Rushing water beneath her. The boy was struggling beside her. One thought entered her head:

This could not end well.

They tumbled into the water beneath.

She hit her head on the bottom of the canal and scrunched her face in pain. Her hand still clutched the boy tightly as if he were a floatation device. He was still struggling, kicking and shouting as his head broke from the water. But everyone else was shouting, and they were moving from the crowd too quickly.

She rose above the water, taking a deep breath of air. Quickly she pushed him below water, holding him there was he still tried to shout. Her head was throbbing, her legs were aching, her _lungs_ were aching. She began to swim to the side of the canal, dragging the boy with her. She clutched the side and attempted to hoist herself over.

She slipped.

_Dammit!_

The boy was coughing, flailing about.

_Damn** him**_!

She tried again, throwing her legs over. Slowly she managed to drag herself onto the tiny space between house and water (not so tiny anymore, she noticed) and pulled him up too.

She lay down on her back (was that grass beneath her feet?), breathing hard. Her vision was dimming, dimming, dimming…

Black.

* * *

"Damn policemen," Eclipse murmured as they entered the house. Raenef was still smiling beside him, their hands clasped together firmly.

"I'm tired," he slurred, his eyes half-closed already.

"I suppose it was an exciting day. Get ready for bed."

Raenef ran off, halfway to dreamland.

Eclipse stepped outside, behind the house, where they had enough money to get their own private land, not those horrible houses with no space to move. The night air was refreshing, and he was tired.

The police had held them back, checking them for weapons, questioning them on what they were doing walking away from a crime scene. He'd brushed past them, Raenef in tow, and they'd continued on.

He moved to put out the lanterns outside. They wanted no company tonight. Slowly he moved across the garden, blowing out candles, when something caught his eye.

Two figures in the corner of the garden, one seemingly unconscious, the other hobbled over, breathing hard. The latter collapsed onto the ground.

Eclipse instantly ran over. Two teens, it seemed, caught in the river water. The one that had been awake a moment ago wasn't anymore. The two needed to be seen to and fast.

It seemed sleep wouldn't come for a long time.

**Author(ess) Notes:**

I have nothing for _Of Living Lives and Surviving High School_. Instead, I'll work on this AU. Pairings should be obvious enough.

I have promised a few a Krayon/Erutis story. This promise will be met. (Eventually.) Please don't hurt me. I only write what comes to me!

**So, if you liked it, review. If you didn't, tell me what I'm doing wrong. If you're here to complain, bite me.**


	2. Chapter Two

_Still no title_

**Chapter Two- **_In which every dog has his day; this just isn't it._

Erutis opened her eyes with a sharp intake of breath.

The same blue eyes from the night before, staring at her, staring…

Her first thought?

Put a gun to the bastard's head and move.

Then she realized…

They were in a bed, a nice one. Dark blue covers, a black canopy overhead. Warm, soft pillows, warm sheets curled around her legs. Beyond that: grey walls, ancient bookcases. Old, antiques…

_Expensive…_

"You were the one, weren't you?"

His voice brought her back to reality; she gazed back at him, her eyes defiant.

_Play innocent._

"You're babbling," she said crossly. Instinct told her to get up and move before whoever placed them there got back. But her tired body decided the bed was too warm to even think about moving.

"Why else would you have dragged me with you?"

…_Damn._

She was starting to slip. Slowly, her hand reached to her boot, to the knife hidden _in _her boots. She didn't plan on using it, just threatening people with it.

Her boot was gone.

She blinked, kicking off the covers and lifting up her leg.

…Just skin…

When she noticed…

No longer was she in her street garb. Nope, now she was dressed in some long flowing dress. She grimaced. She _hated_ dresses.

The boy seemed to be ignoring this. "You _killed_ him didn't you?"

"You're a bit annoying," she snapped. Who had changed her…?

Ugh, just wonderful. This could not get worse.

"Good morning!" came a sing-song voice.

Oh yeah, it could get much worse.

They sat up. A young boy (girl?) stood before them, holding a tray. He was dressed in jeans and a simple shirt, his blond hair pulled back in a bun, stray strands framing his face.

Erutis _really_ hoped this wasn't the guy that had changed her clothes.

"Are they awake?" came a second voice, a much more regal voice. A tall, dark man appeared, long black hair and a deep purple robe.

"I brought you breakfast!" the younger one held up the trays.

"Perhaps," the dark one said, "We should explain exactly what happened, and they can explain to us exactly how they managed in our garden last night."

This could get much, much worse.

* * *

Rallies were being held _everywhere_. All across the country, people were mourning the loss of the great preacher. His flock spent the day with their knees bent and heads bowed, praying for him, for themselves, for the world. Where were they without their priest? 

Inside the white and gold building of the great church, priests were running around, getting things ready. One in particular was frantic now, trying to fulfill his instructions given to him by the great priest himself with little luck.

_Where had that damn boy run off to?_

He checked the usual hiding places. No where. The boy had disappeared.

_No, no, no!_

There had been a reason they'd kept the boy-Chris- around. They had plans. _He_ had plans.

And now, in the most crucial part, the boy had gone missing.

The priest sat down for a moment, resting his face in his hands.

Why did everything have to go wrong?

* * *

The girl, Erutis was what she had called herself, sat still, her eyes narrowed, her arms crossed, everything about her defensive. The boy, Chris he'd reluctantly given out, beside her sat casually as if this were some vacation. He played with the bed sheet as Eclipse explained how he'd found them, how he'd dressed them in warmer clothes, and how he'd set them in the room for the night. Now he expected explanations, and they did not seem to want to give any. 

Erutis sat silent, her mouth turned down in a frown. Chris looked at her for a moment before shaking his head.

"We were trying to get away from the crowd, and we fell in."

Erutis turned to him, blinking. Only a few minutes ago had he been (rightfully) accusing her of the murder last night, and now he was making excuses for her?

"Understandable," Eclipse said.

"Things were insane last night," Raenef said, already chowing down on his breakfast. "We were there too. Here," he handed the trays of food to them, "Eat."

Chris took the food gratefully; Erutis stared at it thoughtfully. Slowly she picked up the spoon and took a bite, eating it cautiously.

"You can eat and be on your way," Eclipse said. Raenef stared up at him with wide puppy dog eyes.

"Do they have to immediately?" he asked, "I never get friends."

"They'll have their own business to attend to, as do you."

He left.

Raenef gave them a long look before getting up and following after, protests on his lips.

Chris turned to the girl beside him, his gaze curious.

"Why?"

She ignored him, closing her eyes and eating her food. "Why what?"

"Why'd you kill him?"

"Who is 'him'?"

He frowned. "The preacher. Last night. _You_ killed him."

No point in denying it. "Yes."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

He groaned. "Just answer the question."

"What's the question again?"

He glared at her. She smiled.

"Are you one of his followers?" she asked, stepping cautiously. If she'd pissed this guy off… Well, she had a good bet she could kick his ass, so it might not matter too much.

"_No!_" he spat, his face scrunching together with anger. "I'm glad the bastard's dead. I just want to know why you killed him."

"What I do is my business. You have no right to know."

"I think I do."

"And why is that?"

"'Cause, the man you killed is technically my father."

Her eyes opened and she turned to him. "You're…?"

"He's not my real father," Chris rolled his eyes, "And I've always hated him. My family got killed in this huge massacre and he took me in since I was the only one that survived. Some miracle child shit. I never paid much attention when he talked."

She blinked and turned away, once again concentrating on the food before her.

"So?"

"So what?"

An irritated sigh. He was getting no where with this girl. Whatever her reasons for killing the man, she was not telling. He chewed thoughtfully on his food.

"I wonder if he'll give us back our clothes."

Her eyes went wide.

_Damn._

In her clothes were her weapons.

_Shit._

This was not her day.

* * *

Raenef stepped in front of Eclipse quickly, pouting but defiant. 

"Why do they have to leave?"

Eclipse stared at his master, his eyes half-lidded in a distant but intense look.

"They don't look like they have any place to go."

A sigh. A shake of the head.

"We might as well let them stay the day."

He moved towards the clothes he'd set out to dry: the teens' clothes.

"And I need a break from the lessons."

Slowly, from the girl's shirt, he pulled out a long knife.

"And… What's that?"

"She's an assassin," he answered, holding the knife in his hands eye level, studying it. "Probably responsible for the murder last night."

"Oh…"

"The boy carries no weapons, so I cannot be sure."

"So…?"

He turned to his master, laying the knife atop Erutis's clothes. "What?"

Raenef looked down, shrugging. "Do we, like, turn them in or something? Or… something?"

"We don't. We let them on their way. I have a feeling…" With a sly movement of the hand, Eclipse slipped the knife back into its resting place. "…these two are not to be messed with."

* * *

"Damn," Erutis muttered as she stood up, "Damn, damn, damn." 

"Any reason for the extensive vocabulary?" Chris asked, eating his food, a smile on his face.

"Damn it," she cursed a final time and turned to him, waving an accusing finger. "This is _your_ fault."

He seemed startled by her accusation. "What? Why?"

"You had to _see _me… You had to _run into _me…"

"Not seeing your point."

She turned with an irritated sigh and pressed her fingers to her temple. "Not my day…" She stood in front of the doorway now, and she stopped. Eclipse stood in front of her, her clothes folded neatly in his hands.

"You'll be needing _these_ before you leave," he said, a tone of reprimand in his voice.

She took her clothes carefully, and he motioned to a place where she could change in private. Quickly she fled to this spot, subtly checking her weapons inside.

Only a moment later she reentered, looking relieved yet confused. Perhaps the man had not noticed the many weaponry in her various inseams.

No, he was too perceptive.

Maybe he didn't want to hold her back, in fear she would _use_ one of those weapons.

He was much too calm to be in fear.

She gave the dark-haired man a long look before bending down to lace up her boots. Chris emerged behind her, dressed in his all black outfit, rustling his hair lazily.

She stood, and they followed Eclipse out to the door. Raenef was beside them, talking animatedly; she barely noticed. Her fingers brushed against the various keepsakes, and she grinned.

_A souvenir would be nice…_

She walked out the door, feeling slightly refreshed.

"So," Chris said, disappointed his adventure was over, "Where you off to?"

She ignored him, already walking away, hunched forward, hands stuck casually in her pockets. No one would notice her as she walked past.

Someone grabbed her arm. She turned, annoyed, expecting to see Chris, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw the dark and brooding stare of Eclipse. Chris was grasped firmly in his other hand, frowning and pouting.

"What's…" she started.

"I believe," he cut her off firmly, "You took something of ours."

Not her day.

**Author(ess) Notes:**

W00ters! Chappie 2 is finished with minimal damage to myself. I've stayed up all night, it is now nearly six in the morning, and I think I'm gonna go take a nap.

I would not mind getting undressed by Eclipse. Schmexay!

**Review, 'cause Jesus saves, but Cthulu eats.**


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